Television tuner



Feb. 5, 1952 R R, wlNGERT 2,584,176

v TELEVISION TUNER Filed OC. 28, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET l 5. J5 WQ. 17

Feb. 5, 1952 Y R. R. WINGERT 2,584,176

y TELEVISION TUNER Filed Oct. 28, 1949 A 2 SHEETS--SHEET 2 HNTENN/J C/RCU/T Ha/0 FREQUENCY 05 HMpL/F/EH ,f A JNVENTOR.

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Patented Feb. 5, 1952 TELEVISION TUNER Raymond R. Wingert, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Motorola, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application October 28, 1949, Serial No. 124,045

(Cl. YY1-119) 11 Claims.

This invention relates to television tuners, and particularly to variable-inductance means for such tuners.

Present television receivers operate in the very high frequency band extending from about 54 to 216 megacycles. Tuning inductances for operating at these frequencies are very small. Accordingly, when using the usual coil inductances the number of turns is very small and therefore construction of such units becomes very critical. It is therefore proposed to use a bar conductor 'for providing the desired coupling and tuning inductances, with these bar conductors being tapped so that Various portions can be switched into the circuit. A tuner having this construction is disclosed and claimed in the copending application oi George W. Fyler, Serial No. 743,700, filed April 24, 1947, now Patent Number 2,530,- 329, and the tuner of the present invention is an improvement oi the tuner disclosed and claimed in said copending application.

An object of the present invention is to pro vide an improved tuner of the aforesaid description having a simpler, more compact and less expensive construction, and which will perform all. oi the functions of the prior tuner.

Another object is to provide an improved television tuner of the type described above in which all of the parts ci the variable-inductance means are mounted directly on the switch wafers instead :a

of being supported by auxiliary structure,

A feature of the invention is the provision of an improved 'tuner having an antenna circuit which includes tapped bus bars mounted on a stationary switch wafer, with Suitable stationary contacts being arranged at the taps on these bus bars for cooperation with a rotary switch element.

Another feature is the provision of a variableinductance element comprising an elongated arcuate segment on a stationary switch wafer having taps along its length, which taps cooperate with a rotary switch element, said segment being in series with coiled conductor sections on the stationary wafer that also have taps cooperating with the rotary element of the switch.

The foregoing and other objects and features of the invention will be understood better from 'the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a television tuner constructed in accordance with and embodying the principles ci the invention;

Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5, respectively, are cross-sectional views taken on the lines 2 2, 3-3, 4-4 and 5--5 in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a circuit diagram representing a portion of a television receiver in which this tuner is embodied.

The tuner which is herein disclosed employs a three-section rotary switch for simultaneously adjusting certain inductances in the antenna circuit, the radio frequency amplier and the oscillator circuit of a television receiver. Each switch section includes tapped inductance elements mounted on a stationary insulating wafer, and a rotary tap-changing switch element cooperates with these inductance elements for tuning purposes. The tuning inductance element for the low-band television channels is a coiled condoctor consisting of series-connected coils that are disposed intermediate the taps on this conduotor. The tuning inductance element for the high-band television channels is a conductive segment with taps at various points thereon along its length. In addition to these tuning inductance elements, thev switch wafer in the antenna section also supports a pair of coupling inductance elements in the form of tapped bus bars, which provide optimum coupling impedances for the low-band channels and the highband channels. The same rotary switch element serves to change taps on both the coupling inductance elements and the tuning inductance elements in the antenna circuit. The tapped segments and. the tapped bus bars are alike in that each utilizes the inherent inductance of a linear conductor, and they may be regarded broadly as linear conductors or bar conductors to distinguish them from the coiled conductors that are used as tuning inductance elements in the low band.

Referring now to Fig. l, the tuner is constructed as a three-section, rotary, tap-changing switch comprising an antenna section I5 (Figs. 4 and 5), a radio frequency section I6 (Fig, 3) and an oscillator section I1 (Fig. 2). These switch sections have annular insulating wafers 2c, 2i and 22, respectively, that are stationarily supported by long studs or posts 25 on which suitable spacers are disposed to maintain the switch wafers in Xed relation. The studs 25 are secured in a stationary detent plate 26, Fig. l, with which a rotatable ball detent 21 cooperates. The rotatable detent 21 is mounted on a hollow shaft 30 which extends the entire length of the tuner. The shaft 30 is journaled in a bushing 3| adapted to be mounted on a suitable supporting panel 32. A control knob 33 is se cured to the shaft 36 for turning the same, and the detent 21 positions the shaft 36 at denite teps in its rotative movement. A shield plate 34 mounted on the posts 25 is interposed between the antenna section I5 and the radio frequency section I6 o1" the tuner to prevent stray coupling between these sections.

Rotatably mounted within the shaft is a Vernier shaft 36 on which a small control knob 31 is mounted concentric with the larger control knob 33. The other end of the inner'shaft 36 is secured to a rotatable capacitor plate 38 which is part of a trimmer capacitor 40 (see Fig. 6) in the oscillator circuit. The capacitor 40 also includes a stationary arcuate plate 42 supported by the switch wafer 22. A bent spring wire 43 anchored on one of the studs 25 grounds the rotatable capacitor plate 38 to the frame of the switch and also functions as a friction brake to prevent the plate 38 from turning when the shaft 36 is turned to change the setting of the tuner. The vernici' knob 31 which actuates the trimmer plate 38 is employed for fine tuning purposes.

The illustrated tuner is designed to accommodate the standard television broadcast channels 2 to 13, inclusive. Accordingly, each of the switch wafers 26, ZI and 22 is provided with e series of terminals which are numbered 2 to I3.

inclusive. In accordance with the invention, these terminals constitute taps for certain inductance elements (which will be described in detail presently), and any set of like-numbered terminals in the various switch sections may be selected by adjustment of the channel-selecting knob 33.

Considering rst the antenna section I5'of the` tuner, Figs. 4 and 6, the terminals 1 to I3, inclusive, on the insulating wafer 20 are secured to small tongue-like radial projections 45 on an arcuate conductive segment 46 which is of approximately semicircular configuration. rlhe segment 46 is cut out as indicated at 41, Fig. 4, to avoid electrical contact with the post 25. The

segment 46 is a linear conductor having portions l intermediate the terminals 1 to I3 of such shape and size as to afford predetermined amounts of inductance. The various inductl-i ances which exist in the segment 46 intermediate the terminals 1 to I3 are represented as coils (in broken lines), Fig. 6. The segment 46 is instrumental in tuning the antenna circuit for channels in the high band. For low-band operation, coils 56 to 54 are employed. These coils are series-connected and preferably are formed as parts of a continuous copper wire. The coiled portion 50 of this conductor is soldered at one end thereof to a stationary contact which is anchored by the terminal 2 to the wafer 28, and at its other end the coil 5U is soldered to a stationary contact 56 anchored by the terminal 3 to the wafer 20. Each of the terminals El to I3, inclusive, is secured in like fashion to a stationary contact 56, and each of the coil sections 5I, 52, 53 and 54 is soldered at opposite ends thereof to a pair of such contacts.

rThe stationary contact 55 for the terminal 2 is long enough to contact a conductive ring 66 mounted upon a rotary insulating disc 6I in the antenna section i5 of ing keyed to the shaft 30 for rotation therewith. The stationary contacts 56 are shorter and do not engage the ring 60, but they are cooperable with a tail or tongue 62 projecting radially from the ring 60. As the shaft 30 is turned, the

'ne tuner, this disc 6I belil tongue 62 may be brought successively into engagement with the various short contacts 56, thereby establishing an electrical connection (through the ring 6I) and the contacts 55 and 56) between the terminal 2 and any other terminal.

Fig. 6 illustrates the manner in which the tuning inductance elements of the antenna section I5 are connected to the associated electricai circuits. The antenna circuit includes terminals 65, 66 and 61 which are connected to a coil composed of portions 68 and 68, with the coil portion 68 being connected between the termi nals 65 and 66, and the coil portion 69 being connected between the terminals 66 and 61. The coil portion 68 provides a proper impedance match for a 'l5-ohm coaxial unbalanced lead-in and the entire coil extending between terminals 65 and 61 provides an optimum matching impedance for a 300ohm balanced transmission line. The coil portions 68 and 69 cooperate with capacitors 10 and 1I and a resistor 12 to afford a suitable input lter which rejects signals having frequencies outside of the desired range. The output side of this filter is connected by a conductor 13 (which may be a, shielded line) to the terminal 2 in the antenna section I5 of the tuner.

The terminal 2 in the section I5 is connected to one end of the coil 50, as mentioned above. and it is also connected electrically to one end of an arcuate bus bar 15. Figs. 5 and 6. For the greatest part of its extent, the bus bar 15 is disposed on the side of the switch wafer 23 which is opposite to the side on which the various tuning coils 50 to 54 are mounted. Short contacts 18 are anchored by the terminals 4 and 6 to the switch wafer 2D but are insulated from the contacts 56 on the opposite side of the wafer. These contacts 18 are soldered respectively to two intermediate points on the bus bar 15, as indicated at 19 and 80, Fig. 5. The bus bar l5: terminates in a soldered connection to a lug- 2i that is grounded to one of the posts 25.

The bus bar 15 constitutes a coupling induct ance element for the low band. A similar bus bar 83, together with the bus bar 15, provides the coupling inductance for the high band. rThe bus bar 83 is soldered at one end thereof to :i short contact 18 that is secured by the terminal 8 to the Wafer 20 but insulated from the contact 56 on the opposite side of this terminal. The other end of the bus bar 83 is soldered to a ground lug 85 on one of the posts 25. The bus bar 83 also has intermediate soldered connections; to a. short contact 18 extending from the terminal I0 and a long contact 86 extending from the terminal I2, as indicated at the points 81 and 88, Fig. 5. These contacts 18 and 86 are insu-I lated from the contacts 56 on the opposite side of the wafer.

A rotary contact 90, Figs. 5 and 6, secured to the rotary insulating disc 6I has a main body portion that is adapted to cooperate selectively with the short contacts 18, and this contact Sil also has a tail or extension 9| thereon which ccoperates only with the long contact 86. The rotary contact and the conductive ring 66 on the opposite side of the rotary switch element are connected together electrically, as indicated by the broken line in Fig. 6, and both are connected to the conductor 13. The terminal I3, which serves as the output terminal of the antenna section I5, is coupled by a conductor 93 and a blocking capacitor 94 to the control grid 95 of the radio frequency amplifier tube 96.

The desired television channel is selected hy adjustment of the control knob 33, Fig. 1, which turns the shaft and the rotary switch elements mounted thereon. In the antenne such rotation of the switch serves to adjus the coupling inductance and the tuning irl-- ductance. When the tuner is set for receiving signals in channel No. 2, for example, as shown in Fig. 6, the entire length of the bus bar 15 acts as a coupling inductance. The tuning inductance, under these conditions, constitutes all oi the coils to 54 and the additional inductance of the segment 46. Ii the tuner shaft is now moved to the position which corresponds to television channel No. 3, the rotary tongue G2 ccoperates with the stationary contact for termi nal 3, and the rotary contact fll cooperates with the stationary contact 'iii for the terminal (this latter contact being engaged by the contact Se either of the channels 3 or fi). As a result of this, the tuning coil 5S is short-circuited, and only that portion of the bus `bar extending be tween the terminal 4 and ground acts as a cou pling inductance.

As the tuner is switched to higher and higher channels, the tuning inductance and coupling inductance are progressively reduced. Commencing with channel 7, all of the tuning coils 553 to 54 are short-circuited, and the tuning inducte ance is coniined to all or a selected portion of the segment 45, depending upon the channel. which is being received. In a similar manner, the coupling inductance comprises all or a selected por tion of the bus bar 83 in parallel with the bus bar 15 for the higher channels (from 'I to 13),

depending upon the tuner setting. lin this way the optimum amount of coupling impedance is inserted in the antenna circuit. Where the same coupling impedance is employed for several adjacent channels, the value thereof is made optii A linear conductor consisting of a conductive segment ill has taps along its length at the terminals 1 to 3 inclusive. A bypass capacitor |04 is connected between the terminal 2 and ground. The terminal 2 also is connected through a dropping resistor to a source of positive plate voltage. rlhe terminal I3 of the tuner section l is connected through the inductor |03 to the plate Hd of the radio frequency amplier tube SS. The plate im is coupled through a conductor and a blocking capacitor H2 to the control grid ||3 of the mixer tube H4 in the converter stage.

The coils S5 to Ulli and the linear inductance element |51, together with the indue-tor Hi8, afford a variable inductance plate load for the amplifier tube 96. Radio frequency signals which are selected by the antenna circuit and then ampliiied by the tube 85 are further selected by this radio frequency tuning means before passing to the mixer tube M, thereby affording a high degree of selectivity. After the mixer tube H4 the radio frequency signals are mixed with local oscillations which are furnished by the oscillator circuit of the receiver. The resulting intermedlate frequency signals pass through an output transformer |15 to the intermediate frequency amplifier (not shown).

The oscillator switch section |1 is ganged with the antenna and radio frequency sections i5 and Like these other sections, the section I1 has a coiled tuning inductance element consisting of 'the series-connected coils |20, |2l, |22, |23 and |24, and a linear inductance element consisting of the tapped segment |25, to which is added the ,plate 42 of the trimmer 110.

rlhe tuner section I1 operates in the same fashion as the tuner sections l5 and I6 insofar as the manner of varying the tuning inductance is concerned. As the rotary element of the switch is turned, the total effective length of the seriesconnected inductance elements (coils i2!! to |24 and segment |25) is varied, thereby causing the frequency of the local oscillations to vary. These locally generated signals are applied through a capacitor |35 to the grid ||3 of the mixer tube i ht. At this point the local oscillations are mixed with the radio frequency signal to provide the intermediate frequency signal, as explained above. The details of the various tube circuits employed herein are not fully described since they are only indirectly related to the invention which is being claimed.

rEhe disclosed tuner construction is simple. compact and inexpensive. The number of possible frequency channels which can be accommodated is limited only by the number of ter minals that can be mounted on the stationary switch elements, allowing adequate space for the various inductance elements which are inserted between these terminals. All inductance elements are mounted directly on the switch wafers. In addition to the tuning inductance elements, the switch wafer in the antenna section also supn ports the bus bar coupling inductance elements 15 and 83. Various other advantages ci the illustrated construction not specifically enumerated herein may occur to those skilled in the art.

While there has been described what is considered to be a preferred embodiment of 'the invention, it will be understood that various modin iications thereof may be made within the true spirit and scope of the invention as denned in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. Variable inductance means for a television tuner comprising an annular insulating member, a plurality of circumferentially spaced terminals mounted on said insulating member, a linear conductor mounted on said insulating member and c having electrical connections to certain of said terminals at various points along the length of said conductor, with the portions of said linear conductor defined by said terminals having predetermined amounts of inductance depending upon the dimensions thereof, a second conductor supported by said insulating member and having a series of coil ,portions therein along the length thereof, said coil portions respectively seing connected to certain of said terminals and having predetermined amounts of inductance, a plurality of stationary contacts supported by said insulating member and respectively connected to all of said terminals, a rotary contact element disposed centrally of said insulating member and cooperating selectively with said stationary contacts, and conductive means for connecting both of said conductors and said rotary contact element in an electric circuit, with said linear conductor and said second conductor affording variable amounts of inductance for such circuit depending upon the setting of said contact element.

2. Variable inductance means for a television tuner comprising a linear conductor having a plurality of taps positioned along the length thereof, with the portions of said linear conductor defined by said taps having predetermined values of inductance depending upon the dimer:` sions thereof, first terminal means connected to said linear conductor, a second conductor having' series-arranged coil portions therein to afford predetermined amounts of inductance, said sec ond conductor being connected in series with said linear conductor and having a plurality of taps positioned along the length thereof, second terminal means connected to said second conductor, and tap-changing switch means cooperating se lectively with the taps on both of said conductors to place a selected amount of inductance between said first terminal means and said second ter minal means,

3. Variable inductance means for a. television tuner comprising an annular insulating member. a plurality of terminals mounted on said insulating member, a pair of linear conductors of different sizes mounted on said insulating member and having electrical connections to said terminals at various points on said conductors, with the portions of said linear conductors defined by said terminals having predetermined amounts of inductance depending upon the dimensions thereof, stationary contacts supported by said insulating member and respectively connected to said terminals, a rotary contact element disposed centrally of said insulating member and cooperating selectively with said stationary contacts, and conductive means for connecting said linear conductors and said rotary Contact element in an electric circuit, with said linear conductors affording variable amounts of inductance for such circuit depending upon the setting of said contact element.

4. Means for tuning the antenna circuit of a television receiver and for coupling the tuned antenna circuit to the first amplifier stage of the receiver, such means comprising a rotary switch having a stationary insulating wafer and a rotatable contact element, elongated tuning inductance elements mounted on said wafer, taps on said tuning inductance elements defining various amounts of inductance therein, said rotatable Contact element cooperating with said taps for selectively tuning the antenna circuit, a coupling element including a linear conductor mounted on said insulating wafer, and taps on said linear conductor defining portions of said linear conductor having predetermined amounts of inductance depending upon the respective lengths of said portions, said rotatable contact element also cooperating with the last-mentioned taps for determining the effective inductance of said coupling element.

5. Means for tuning the antenna circuit of a television receiver and for coupling the tuned antenna circuit to the rst amplifier stage of the receiver, such means comprising a rotary switch having a stationary insulating wafer and a rotatable contact element, an elongated tuning inductance element mounted on said wafer, taps on said tuning inductance element dening various amounts of inductance therein, said rotatable contact element cooperating selectively with said taps for tuning the antenna circuit to a desired frequency, coupling means including a pair of bus bars mounted on said insulating wafer, and taps on each of said bus bars defining portions of such bar having predetermined amounts of inductance depending upon the respective lengths of such portions, said rotatable contact element also cooperating selectively with the taps on said bus bars for determining the effective inductance of said coupling means.

6. Means for tuning the antenna circuit of a television receiver and for coupling the tuned antenna circuit to the first amplifier stage of the receiver, such means comprising a rotary switch having a stationary insulating wafer and a rotatable contact element, an elongated tuning inductance element mounted on said wafer, taps on said tuning inductance element defining various amounts of inductance therein, said rotatable contact element cooperating selectively with said taps for tuning the antenna circuit to a desired frequency, coupling means including a pair of bus bars mounted on said insulating wafer, one of said bus bars being electrically connected at one end thereof to an end of said tuning inductance element and being electrically connected at the other end thereof to one end of the second bus bar, and taps on each of said bus bars defining portions of such bar having predetermined amounts of inductance depending upon the respective lengths of such portions, said rotatable contact element also cooperating selectivel 1 with the taps on said bus bars for determining the effective inductance of said coupling means, with said one bus bar being in parallel with at least a portion of said second bus bar when said contact element is cooperating with the taps on said second bus bar.

7. Variable inductance means for a multi-stage tuner in a television receiver, said means comprising a first linear conductor having a piurality of taps positioned along the length thereof, with the portions of said first conductor dened by said taps having predetermined values of inductance depending upon the dimensions thereof, a second linear conductor having a plurality oi taps positioned along the length thereof, with the portions of said second conductor defined by said taps having predetermined values of inductance depending upon the dimensions thereof, a third conductor having series-arranged coil portions therein to afford a plurality of inductance elements, said third conductor having a plurality of taps positioned along the length thereof, a unitary rotatable switch element having one portion cooperating selectively with the taps on said first and third conductors and another portion cooperating respectively with the taps on said second conductor, both of said portions being electrically interconnected, conductive means for connecting said first and third conductors in a tuning circuit for one stage of the receiver', and other conductive means for connecting said second conductor in a coupling circuit between two stages of the receiver.

8. Variable inductance means for a television tuner including in combination, an annular insulating member, a plurality of circumferentially spaced stationary contacts mounted on said insulating member, an elongated at conducting sheet mounted on said insulating member having integral terminal portions extending therefrom at various points along the length thereof, with the portions of said elongated conducting sheet extending between said terminal portions having predetermined amounts of inductance, means connecting said terminal portions to said stationary contacts, a rotary contact element disposed substantially centrally of said insulating member and cooperating selectively with said stationary contacts, and conducting means for connecting said conducting sheet and said rotary contact element in an electric circuit, with said conducting sheet affording a variable amount of inductance for said circuit depending upon the setting of said rotary contact element.

9. Variable inductance means for a television tuner including in combination, an insulating member having an opening therein, a plurality of stationary contacts mounted on said insulating member and spaced about said opening, an arcuate shaped nat, conducting member mounted on said insulating member and having integral terminal portions extending radially inwardly therefrom at various portions along the length thereof, with the portions of said conducting member defined by said terminal portions having predetermined amounts of inductance, said terminal portions being connected to said stationary contacts, a rotary contact element disposed substantially centrally within said opening in said insulating member and including conducting portions cooperating selectively With said stationary contacts for shorting out portions of said conducting member and means connecting said conducting member in an electric circuit so that a variable amount of inductance is provided in said circuit depending upon the setting of said rotary contact element.

10. Variable inductance means for a television tuner including in combination, a rotary switch having a stationary insulating Wafer with an opening therein, a rotary contact element within said opening, and a plurality of xed contacts spaced circumferentially about said opening on either side of said Wafer, inductance means supported on one side of said Wafer including a linear conductor having taps thereon defining inductance portions and including a plurality of coil portions connected in series with said linear conductor, means connecting said taps and said coil portions to said stationary contacts on said one side of said Wafer, a pair of bus bars mounted on said insulating wafer on the side thereof opposite to said one side and having taps thereon connected to said fixed contacts on said opposite side, and circuit means connecting said inductance means and one of said bus bars in an electric 10 circuit, said rotary contact element including conducting portions for selectively engaging said fixed contacts for shorting out certain of said inductance portions and said coil portions of said inductance means, and for selectively shorting out portions of said one bus bar and connecting portions of the other one of said bus bars in parallel with said one bus bar.

11. Variable inductance means for a television tuner including in combination, a rotary switch having a stationary insulating wafer with an opening therein, a rotary contact element within said opening, and a plurality of iixed contacts spaced circumferentially about said opening on either side of said Wafer, inductance means including an elongated dat conductor having integral terminal portions thereon defining inductance portions therebetween and including a plurality of coil portions connected in series with said elongated conductor, means connecting said terminal portions and said coil portions to said stationary contacts on said one side of said Wafer for supporting said elongated conductor and said coil portions and making electrical connections thereto, a pair of bus bars mounted on said insu.- lating Wafer on the side thereof opposite to said one side and having taps thereon connected to said fixed contacts on said opposite side, and circuit means connecting said induotance means and one of said bus bars in an electric circuit, said rotary contact element including conducting portions for selectively engaging said fixed contacts on both sides of said Wafer with the conducting portion engaging said xed contacts on said one side of said wafer selectively shorting out said inductance portions and said coil portions of said inductance means, and said conducting portion engaging said fixed contacts on said opposite side of said Wafer selectively shorting out portions of said one bus bar and connecting portions of the other one of said bus bars in parallel with said one bus bar.

RAYMOND R. WIN GERT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,768,251 Heising June' 24, 1930 1,982,751 Millen Dec. 4, 1934 2,078,908 Harrison Apr. 27, 1937 2,408,896 Turner Oct. 8, 1946 2,497,747 Valdettarro Feb. 14, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 615,106 Great Britain Jan. 3, 1949 

